A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 3 gene (PNPLA3) is associated with baseline level of fibrosis and its progression, but not development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, researchers report in the February issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Most

In Egypt, pharmaceutical companies are testing a complicated deal to sell hepatitis C drugs at a fraction of their usual cost while imposing tight restrictions intended to protect lucrative markets in the West. According to the New York Times, Gilead Sciences Inc. is selling its sofosbuvir to the Egyptian government

Only a small percentage of patients receiving chemotherapy are screened for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, although the proportion of patients screened has increased slightly over the past decade, researchers report in the May issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Strategies are needed to ensure that patients receiving chemotherapy are

An over-the-counter allergy drug may be repurposed to treat patients with hepatitis C, researchers show. Chlorcyclizine, which costs about $0.50 a tablet, could offer a low-cost alternative or addition to treatment for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Direct-acting antiviral therapies can cure hepatitis C, but their high cost—which

Treating patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection using recently approved direct-acting agents can be cost effective, but will also have substantial effects on healthcare costs, researchers show. Recently approved drugs cure more than 90% of patients with hepatitis C and could make the liver disease rare in the United

The number of adults with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) waiting for liver transplants has almost tripled in the last 10 years, researchers report in the March issue of Gastroenterology. NASH is now the second leading liver disease of adults awaiting liver transplantation in the United States, the researchers found. The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty

Using single-cell laser capture and high-resolution analysis, researchers show that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects hepatocytes in the human liver in nonrandom clusters, whereas expression of anti-viral molecules is scattered among hepatocytes. The findings are presented in the December issue of Gastroenterology. HCV predominantly infects hepatocytes, but most hepatocytes in

A potent combination of 2 drugs that directly target the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is effective in patients with chronic infection, and doesn’t require interferon therapy, according to an article in the December issue of Gastroenterology. Patients infected with HCV genotype-1 are usually treated with peginterferon and ribavirin, but approximately

About the Author

Dr. Kristine Novak is the science editor for Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. She has worked as an editor at biomedical research journals and as a science writer for 15 years, covering advances in gastroenterology, hepatology, cancer, immunology, biotechnology, molecular genetics, and clinical trials. She has a PhD in cell biology and an interest in all areas of medical research.